Welcome back to another entry on this build. This is it! The last entry on the mandolin build. Today, we add the last pieces and string up the instrument to finish the whole process. There are some other details that happen off camera, but that is part of the magic of the workshop. Tuner, stings, tailpiece. The last bit is getting the set up of the bridge in the right place.
Let's get to it!
Tailpiece and tuners
The last pieces that need to get installed are the tailpiece and tuners. We are going for the former first. We need to set a center line for the tailpiece. We use a small piece of masking tape to have a mark on the middle the sound board. This let us align the tailpiece on the end of the mandolin.
When the line is in place, we can put the tailpiece and mark the placement of the screws. Then the rest of the process is using the drill to make the holes and then place the tailpiece. The thing looks like it goes too high; however, the strings will bend it in place. The other thing we added is another screw in the center to add more strength to the grip.
Now we move to the other side and go to the head stock to get the tuner in place. Something that was calculated at the moment of making the holes was taking into consideration the ornament that goes in the holes. This is something that just makes the rest of the pieces look a bit more aesthetic. So we improvised something to do the rest of the space. And we finished doing each hole at a time and then place the tuners.
The results speak by themselves. This worked really good, but it is important to look at the model of tuners to get them worked properly.
String up
The next part is getting the strings in place. While we work this we need to use the bridge. The mark we made before was also the placement of the bridge over the sound board. And we start getting the strings bit by bit on place and the bridge helps us keep them where they need to be. The other part is that we need to install the thinner strings first and then the thicker ones. This is a thing of tension. If we did it the other way, we would not be able to move the bridge where it should go. It is interesting to learn how the instrument behave.
The last part of installing the strings is making sure we are ready to start tuning. This is not for any weird reason. It is only to cut the excess of strings. This is needed since the metal strings are not really usable after they get bent. And they will get bent once the tuners are turned. So the extra string just gets in the way of the aesthetics and the movement of the tuners.
The Mandolin
After the strings are cut, we do the rest of the fine tuning. That means checking the bridge is on the right place and that the strings are not buzzing the wrong way. Metal strings have a buzz to it. But the one we are talking about is related to problems on the nut or bridge. Then we can finally tune the instrument to make sure everything works fine and get some notes out of the mandolin.
The rest of the fine tuning is adjusting the height of both nut and bridge to get the most comfortable action. And thus the mandolin is built. It was a interesting process, but also something quite complex. Would I build another one? Maybe not as a learning project. The idea of making an instrument that needs too much work tends to get on the way of making some other things. However, I did like the fact of making an instrument that I used to play for so many years.
Thanks a lot for checking the whole process of this instrument. We will go back to some other instruments that were commissioned this year. So I will see you on the next post!
Photos 📷: Redmi Note 13
Thumbnail 🖼️: Canva.
Editing 🎬:Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
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